It’s playoff time for the Buffalo Bills, as they closed out a 35-8 Week 18 win over the New York Jets. Now, they will travel down south for a Wild Card matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. For the first time since 2019-2020, the Bills are on the road for the first round of the playoffs.
When it comes to the playoffs, there is so much to think about other than just the end result of the game. Obviously, the end goal at the end of the day is to just win. However, the front office for Buffalo is also going to have seriously evaluate a lot of contract-year players throughout the playoffs to decide their futures in Buffalo.
There are three specific Bills who Brandon Beane and the Bills’ front office will have to pay close attention to, to see if they need to offer a contract extension or not.
Bills players that must shine in playoffs to get contract extension
OL Connor McGovern
It was a little surprising that the Bills didn’t extend Connor McGovern prior to this season, but here we are. Buffalo took care of a majority of their 2022 draft class with extensions, but you could make the argument that McGovern should have received an extension. He has been the anchor to this offensive line for the last two seasons after moving from guard to center.
Both he and David Edwards are pending free agents for Buffalo, but McGovern is more valuable to this offensive line than fans may think.
DE Joey Bosa
The Bills’ biggest splash in free agency last offseason has paid off up to this point. Joey Bosa took the risk to move across the country on just a one year deal and he is showing the Bills and the rest of the NFL that he can still play at a high level.
He has been healthy a majority of the season and has done a phenomenal job at applying pressure on quarterbacks and getting to the football. Bringing in a player like Bosa is what the Bills needed for the playoffs, so now he will have the chance to show Buffalo that he deserves a second contract with the Bills.
LB Matt Milano
Unless Milano completely plays lights out to the point where he was the reason why Buffalo wins the Super Bowl, he is most likely done in Buffalo…but never say never. Depending on how he performs in the playoffs, it could very well put Brandon Beane in a tough spot of whether or not the Bills should bring him back. Since 2017, Milano has been a star for this defense but injuries have limited him.